3. Conduct Your Interviews

In the previous video, you created a questionnaire to prepare for your interview.

In this video, you will set up and conduct your interviews.

If you plan to interview more than one adult, make a copy of the questionnaire documentfor each adult that you will speak with.

Remove the words copy of from the file name and rename it.

Change the title to reflect who you will interview.

This way, you will have a questionnaire for each person that you’ll interview.

Then add the name of the person that you’ll interview at the top of each document.

If you want to complete the questionnaires on paper, print them now.

If you print the questionnaire, you will record your participants’ responses by hand.

To record your interview responses in the digital questionnaire, type the person’sresponses directly in the document.

Then, contact the person or people you will interview to set up time to talk.

Ask them in person if possible.

You might also call, text, or email to set up a time and place to speak.

However you contact people, be sure to greet them,explain the interview and your pledge, ask to set up an interview during a specific time,and thank them for participating.

If you can, interview each participant in person so that you can ask follow-up questionsand have a conversation.

You could also interview someone by phone or by video chat, like Google Hangouts,if an in-person meeting isn’t possible.

Avoid interviewing by text or email.

It’s best to have important discussions, like this one, face-to-face.

Then, outside of class, interview your first participant.

Take notes and record responses in the questionnaire that you made for their interview.

Remember, this process may take a few days.

During your interview: Ask follow-up questions to clarify your participant’sresponses, Use the interview as a way to have a conversation.

Listen actively and give the other person a chance to ask questions, even if they gobeyond the questionnaire, Take detailed notes to record their responses,Ask the participant what they think you should include in your guidelines.

If you plan to interview more than one person, repeat this process with each of your participants.

If a particular follow-up question or comment leads to an interesting response, you mightadd that question to additional interviews.

After you’ve finished your interviews, move on to the next video to create your pledge.

Now, it’s your turn: Copy and rename the questionnaire document for each additional interview,Print out your questionnaire if you like,Contact each person to set up your interviews, And interview each participant and recordtheir responses, preferably in person and in a quiet place.